So much going on in this book, it's impossible not to enjoy every little bit of it!

Cloverdale is a lovely scenic village surrounded by rolling countryside. Jennifer has always lived here and wants to get back to having more of a community feel, hoping that the inhabitants will mix more. As part of her plan, she sets up 'The Library of Shared Things' - a unique idea, and one I haven't come across before. Into the area comes Adam and his two children - but how much do they actually know about the new arrivals?

As with any village, there is plenty happening (I should know, I live in one) and it all fits together seamlessly! Helen Rolfe's experience shines throughout; with a bit of mystery, friendships, relationships and family dynamics I was glued to the pages from the beginning to the very last page. This is a terrific story, not all as straightforward as it seems at first and definitely one to get your brain ticking over. Well written and very enjoyable, this is worth every one of the four shiny stars I'm happy to give it.

My thanks to publisher Orion for my copy via NetGalley; this is my honest and original review.

I really enjoyed this book so much. It has a really great plot, superb main characters and I read it in one sitting. I would highly recommend this book.

Reading this was a no-brainer as libraries are my favourite place to be. I loved the idea of a library of shared things and I didn't expect the turn that this book took taking on a serious issue as it did. The twist was a little predicable but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book at all and I'll definitely read more from this author.

What a deep and emotional but uplifting book this is.

It is clear from the off that Adam, Jennifer, Viola and Isla are all hiding things, and their secrets are alluded to often.

Strangely the largest reveal is also the one I kind of saw coming but not in that manner, the rest did surprise me.

It took me a while to get into the swing of this book, possibly due to the amount of characters I needed to keep in mind, but once I did I really fell for the village of Cloverdale and I love the concept of the Library of Shared Things.

There are many threads running through the story and once I was up to speed I was fully invested in seeing how everything would play out.

I really enjoyed this story and it was good to see that Helen Rolfe is able to write about some more serious topics than I've seen in the past, in such a sensitive and thought provoking way.

Definitely a book to make you think, filled with drama, intrigue and a great sense of community.

Thank you to Orion and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I’ve just finished reading this book, read in one sitting. A really good book, strong storyline, kept me hooked. Loved the characters, the setting. Would definitely recommend it. Definitely put a smile on my face having finished it. Give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An absolutely fantastic read by this author. This is my first book by this author but I have already added a number of others to my TBR list.
I absolutely love the writing style on this book and found it easy to get lost in the story.

What a great story of twists and turns. Set in a village in England with connections with \Australia, A family living within lies until found out things could go horribly wrong and it does . Find out what happens to the village as a whole. The library plays a big part it this tale. Great novel and I give it 5 stars, I want to read more about these people and their lives. I hope there will be a followup book to come soon. Recommend you all read this to find out more.

A great read - with quite emotional issues dealt with.

I liked how the story is told from different points of view, and you get a better understanding of the characters.

Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thoroughly enjoyed the subject of this story & getting to know all the characters residing in Cloverdale. What a wonderful idea the library of shared things is, every community should have one

Cloverdale has a different sort of library, the sort of library you can borrow useful things - a hedge trimmer, breadmaker or ladder. But the library is also fast becoming the centre of the community as its founder Jennifer wanted it to be. Dance classes, sewing and using a drill all feature but so does that sense of community, friendship and belonging. 

Some residents including jennifer are hiding things and until all these secrets and anger can be forgiven and forgotten Cloverdale will yet to have that real community feel. 

Jennifer is at a loss now her children are growing up and away from her support, she is looking to capture the past she had before she gave it all up to be a wife, a mother and a carer. 

Jennifer's sister Isla has returned to Cloverdale after wandering the planet for months, never settling in one place but now it seems that Isla can put down roots and stay but why is her sister so against this. 

Adam and his two children, Zoe and Zac but what are they hiding from and why is nothing much mentioned about their mother and Adams wife. Where is she? Why has she seemingly abandoned her children? Will a diary reveal the secrets?

Viola is helicopter parent, perfect in whatever she does, she judges to harshly and makes her own conclusiojns, which is what happened to her friendship with Jennifer many years ago. Now they are all back in Cloverdale will past misdemeanours be forgiven and will everyone be embraced into the community. 

The basis of this book, the library was a great thing however the plot I found the be very laboured and I did consider giving up at more than once. The only thing that kept me reading was to find out what all the characters had done in the past, the secrets they held. The book was not a light hearted read as the cover may imply, it dealt with some difficult subjects, it dealt with them well but perhaps they were not the right book for them to be featured in. 

I was left disappointed by this book especially when a previous book by this author, The Little Cafe at the End of the Pier was a great read. I would approach another of her books with a bit more trepidation.

Thanks to netgalley for a chance to read this book.

Another good book from this author. Adam moves to Cloverdale with his two children and a secret. He meets Jennifer who runs a library that’s lends things out to the community and they become really good friends until Adams secret comes out. Is it the secret Jennifer thinks it is?

Thanks to netgalley for an early copy in return for an honest review
Having read all of this author's books I was delighted to get an early copy.
This book is quite a different style of writing from Helen's other books and it was a sheer joy to read something so poignant this is a tale of survival and none of us know what happens behind closed doors.
Adam's life was in tatters and with the help of FANTASTIC community finds inner peace.
I really can't praise this OUTSTANDING book enough and can highly recommend

I have read and enjoyed books by this author before, and I was pleased to receive an early preview copy of this book from Netgalley and the Publisher.
I really enjoyed this book, the characters were well thought out and it was well written. I was really interested in the plot which evolved around the Library which lent out items to the community, such as drills, ice-cream makers, all manner of things for people to try out.
The story focuses on Jennifer and Adam. Jennifer runs the lending library, and Adam is a new resident.
Both characters have secrets that we don't find out about until far into the story. This keeps the tension going, as you try to guess and find out what they are hiding. I found it to be a compelling read.
The book features some strong themes, which could be upsetting for some people, but in my opinion one of the issues is something that society doesn't talk about. I don't want to give any spoilers so it's difficult to go into more detail.
The book is generally easy to read, and heartwarming. It highlights the importance of family and friends, as well as community spirit. Forgiveness and fresh starts to life make the book uplifting, despite the strong themes. Overall the book is well balanced, and definitely worth reading.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. This was a real feel good read, easy to read and the characters were great. Left me with a warm fuzzy feeling

Another fantastic book from Helen. I absolutely love helens style of writing and am quickly drawn into all her books. Always such brilliant characters and settings

Village Library: 1 star

This book was really not to my taste. The first quarter had continual ominous hints that something had happened to Adam and Jennifer. It seemed like these occurred every paragraph, with no more information revealed. This made the first 25% so tedious that I almost gave up. However, some editing would sort that out.

The other thing I didn’t like was the amount of (off page) domestic violence. I do think it is important to have stories about this out there, but the blurb gave me no indication that this might be included in the book, it looked like it was a light hearted romance. I read to escape from the horribleness of real life, not to experience more of it.

I thought the library of shared things was an excellent basis for a book, and the plot with Jennifer and her husband was good. The sense of community in the village was also enjoyable to read about.

I think with some stronger editing of the first quarter, and a cover and blurb that reflect that serious topics are covered, this could be a really good and important book.

I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for a nice lovely book that will put a smile on your face after finishing it, this is it! I loved the idea of the Shared Things library and how it was focused on the whole community. If you enjoy Debbie Macomber, you should love this!